Gujarat: Drugs valued at Rs 200 crore seized, six arrested
Darpan News Desk, 14 Sep, 2022 01:34 PM
Porbandar, Sep 14 (IANS) Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) have seized 40 kg heroin valued at Rs 200 crore from a Pakistani fishing boat and arrested six persons in this connection near the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL).
During the intervening night of September 13 and 14, on a specific intelligence input, the ICG strategically deployed two fast interceptor class of ships, C-408 and C-454 for patrolling in areas close to the IMBL.
During midnight, the Pakistani boat was observed moving suspiciously in Indian waters, 5 nm inside notional IMBL and 40 nm from Jakhau.
On being challenged, the Pakistani boat over boarded a consignment and started evasive maneuvering, the ICG said in a statement.
The consignment was skillfully recovered by one of the two ICG ships and found to be a drug haul.
"On visual examination, the drug is believed to be heroin with quantity approx. 40 kg and market value of Rs 200 crore. The other ICG ship, braving very rough seas in pitch dark night and marginal weather conditions, maneuvered and stopped the boat," the ICG added.
The boat is being brought to Jakhau for further joint investigation by all agencies.
This is the fifth such joint operation by the ICG and ATS, Gujarat in the last one year in which huge quantity of narcotics is seized and those involved in the crime are arrested.
Channi also said that 997 students from the state were in Ukraine, out of whom 420 have returned, and 200 students have reached Poland and are safe but some of the people are still stuck in Ukraine.
In 2017, the Aam Aadmi Party had got around 23 per cent votes but the projections for this election is 39 per cent, while Congress seems to have lost around 11 per cent votes, against in last election's over 38 per cent now, to around 26 per cent and may see its tally come down from 77 seats to 25 seats.
Harjot's brother Prabhjot Singh, who resides in Delhi's Chhattarpur, told IANS: "The last conversation I had with Harjot was on February 26 at 9 p.m. I haven't spoken to him since then. On March 2, at night, he contacted the family and informed them about his injuries.
While directing officials to ensure safe return of the remaining students and other persons stuck in Ukraine, he said the state government is sparing no effort to help the distressed families in this hour of crisis.
Over 700 Indian students are stuck in Sumy and they are running out of basic necessities like food and water and they have been urging the Indian government to get them evacuated from there.
Over 7,400 Indian nationals are expected to be evacuated under the 'Operation Ganga' in the next two days, the government said on Thursday. The Centre has initiated an airlift operation to evacuate Indians, who have found their way to the neighbouring countries of war-torn Ukraine.
